


A Tourist in Another Reality

by stardust_and_sunlight



Series: camera nerds [1]
Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: (was Maura16), Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cute, M/M, and grantaire loses his camera, enjolras is a nerd, ep and r are bffs who travel europe together, that's it that's the story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-12
Updated: 2015-09-12
Packaged: 2018-04-20 09:29:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4782350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stardust_and_sunlight/pseuds/stardust_and_sunlight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Grantaire loses his camera. Enjolras finds it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Tourist in Another Reality

**Author's Note:**

> I went to France with my family, we lost our camera on the first day, and I wrote this...  
> It's been finished for AGES but I couldn't think of a title, I am SO BAD at titles, honestly. I eventually just googled "camera related quotes" and so the title is from this quote by Susan Sontag- "The camera makes everyone a tourist in other people's reality, and eventually in one's own." I don't know who this Susan is, but the quote is nice so I just went with it. Thanks to Sadaf for (sort of) helping me!  
> Feedback is much appreciated <3  
> 

The camera was just sitting there on the grass. Enjolras looked around, but here was no-one in sight. Probably someone had stopped for a picnic here and left it.

He sighed and stooped to pick it up, and instinctively pressed the ‘on’ button. He told himself he was just checking to see if there were any pictures that could help him find the owner, but he couldn't deny that he was nosy and simply curious. Plus he had forgotten his book and he still had twenty minutes left of his lunch break. 

The last picture that had been taken on the camera was one of a girl, sprawled out on the grass in this very park. She had dark skin and curly hair, and she was laughing widely, eyes bright and smile beaming. Enjolras smiled, and then flicked to the very first photo taken. 

It was a picture clearly taken inside from the light, the head and torso of a man holding a whiteboard with "Hello!" written on it. Enjolras blinked. The man had scruffy black curls and deep green eyes, caramel skin and the edge of a tattoo poking out from the collar of his shirt. He was grinning at the camera. 

Intrigued, Enjolras moved onto the next picture. It was the same man, the same pose, but the words on the whiteboard had changed. 

_If you're seeing these pictures, you've found my camera!_

In the next picture, the man had affected a distraught face. 

_Seeing as I have a tendency to lose things, and I'm even more likely to lose things on a trip through Europe, my dear friend told me I should do this._

The next picture was one of the dark skinned girl, holding the same whiteboard. Written on it, in what Enjolras assumed was her writing, it said:

_That was me. HELLO!_

In the next one she was grinning. 

_I am, indeed, a genius. And I have better handwriting than him._

In the next picture, the man was glaring at someone behind the camera, and on the board was an amazingly detailed drawing of the girl. Enjolras gaped at it. He found it difficult to _write_ on whiteboards, never mind draw something as amazing as this. 

Enjolras mourned the lack of a drawing in the next picture, but chuckled at the smug smile the man was making at the camera. 

_I'm a much better at drawing though, so hah._

_Anyway, we're going very off topic._

The man had adopted a sad look. 

_Basically, if you're seeing these photos, you've got my camera._

_And if you've got my camera, I've lost it. Whoops._

_Or you've stolen it, I guess._

He was mock-glaring at the camera. 

_In which case, you're a horrible person and I hope you burn in the fiery pits of Mordor._

Next. He was grinning again, his face bright. 

_But hopefully, you're just a nice person who happened to come across this camera._

He was holding the whiteboard in one hand, waving at the camera, his arm blurred. 

_If so, hello! I'm Grantaire!_

_I'm travelling Europe with my aforementioned dear friend Éponine, she of the wonderful hair and the pretty handwriting._

The next picture was simply the girl, who was slumped on a couch with a bowl of popcorn, smirking at the camera. 

Now, Grantaire was posing dramatically, the whiteboard balanced precariously on his head. 

_Of course, I also have wonderful hair. Not so good handwriting though._

Suddenly he looked concerned, and Enjolras marvelled at the expressiveness of the other man's face. And also cursed his photogenic-ness. How unfair. 

_(I've just realised that there's a possibility that the person who finds my camera might not speak English.)_

_(If so, I'm so sorry. Hopefully google translate will get the gist for you?)_

In the next photo, the whiteboard had several different sized question marks, and the man wore a doubtful expression. Enjolras definitely agreed with him on that front. 

Next. Grantaire was staring straight at the camera, a pleading look in his eyes. 

_Anyway if you have found this camera and would like to return it to me (because you're a lovely person) you can email me at grantaireisanidiot@live.co.uk_

The following picture was Éponine, caught mid laugh. 

_Why yes, I did come up with this email address._

And then Grantaire again, with the message on the whiteboard surrounded by hearts. 

_She loves me really._

And then Éponine, posing cheesily with her fingers making a heart shape. 

In the next picture, Grantaire again, the light had changed. Later in the day, Enjolras guessed. 

_But you might be thinking..._

_What's in it for me?_

Grantaire was posing now, laughter lighting his eyes. 

_What will I get for emailing this stunningly attractive but clearly quite scatty person?_

_Well, maybe this will provide some incentive..._

Enjolras almost choked. The whiteboard was nowhere to be seen, and Grantaire was topless, and _shit_. He was lightly muscled and absolutely covered in tattoos. His arms and his chest were covered in beautiful patterns and words and designs, black in some places and a riot of colour in others. His hair was falling down over his forehead, and he was looking directly into the camera, eyes so green. 

Enjolras breathed out, trying to compose himself. Dear god, he was a disaster. When he felt suitably calm (or as calm as he thought he would get) he flicked to the next picture. Blessedly, Grantaire had put his t-shirt back on, and the whiteboard had returned. 

_In case that's not your thing, I also asked Éponine if she would pose topless for this noble cause._

Enjolras snorted with laughter. Éponine was lying on the same couch, fully clothed, eyes closed, arm up and flipping off the camera. 

Grantaire looked like he was barely suppressing a laugh in the next picture. 

_Well, I tried._

Next. He looked slightly concerned. 

_Éponine has just informed me that it might seem as if I'm offering my body as a reward for the safe return of my camera._

_That is not the case._

Grantaire was smirking now, and Enjolras felt uncomfortably hot. 

_However if you're attractive I will most definitely flirt with you. I can't help it._

The way that Grantaire was staring at the camera was extremely inappropriate, Enjolras thought, fighting the urge to fan himself. 

_Especially if you're blonde. I have a weakness for blonde guys._

In the following picture, Éponine was sitting up, looking sadly at the camera with a petted lip. And then the next picture was slightly blurred, as if Grantaire had launched himself at her. He was hugging her tightly, both of them grinning.

Grantaire's hair was ruffled in the next picture, and he was smiling still. 

_But anyway._

_I can also make really good caramel shortcake and I will happily do so for the person who returns my camera._

_Please email me! I will be forever in your debt and will ply you with many baked goods and koala cuddles._

_(Unless you don't like cake or cuddles.)_

_(In which case your life must be bereft.)_

_(But Éponine has just told me I shouldn't offend potential returners-of-cameras.)_

_(So I'll stop now.)_

_Basically I will love you forever if you tell me where my camera is._

_THANK YOU IN ADVANCE_

_And don't look through any more of my pictures, you nosy person._  
  
Enjolras couldn't help his burst of laughter. At the peculiarity of the situation he found himself in. At the optimism of the man in the pictures. At the pictures themselves. 

He went back to the start and looked through them all again, grinning as he did so. (And if he stared at one picture for too long, well. No-one knew.)

Then he noticed the time and leapt to his feet, putting the camera carefully in his bag and heading off to work. 

When he got back to the office he nodded hello to his colleagues as he always did, got his coffee as he always did, say down at his desk as he always did, and turned on his computer as he always did. But today, instead of starting work as he should be, he opened up his email and started a new one. He stared at the blank white for some time, and then put fingers to keys and typed one simple sentence.   
  
_I've found your camera._

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/holIyshort) \- come and say hi!


End file.
